Air-tight hatch-coupling.



W. W. WOTHERSPOON.

AIR TIGHT-HATCH COVERING.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.15, 1909.

Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

{ULUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CID WASHINGTON, D. C

Luuuflle W. W. WOTHERSPOON.

AIR TIGHT HATCH COVERING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1909.

1,083,043. Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

amine-wee jam $5M cuLuMBm PLANOGRAPH CO.,\VASHINGTON, D. c.

N FIQE.

AIR-TIGHT HATCH-COVERING.

Application filed September 15, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WALLACE o'rHnRsrooN, citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Tight Hatch-Coverings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

Under certain systems now in use for eX- pelling water from leaking holds or compartments of ships, it is the practice to introduce air under pressure therein, which acting on the surface of the water will force the same out. In holds having such communications with the outside as hatchways, it is necessary of course before the air pressure will become efiective in discharging the water, to seal the hatchway air-tight by means of a cover, and for many reasons unnecessary to be here enumerated, it is desirable that this cover be applied to the out- Side of the hatch opening.

My invention is directed to this end, and consists of a plate or covering adapted to be applied to the outer edge of the hatch coaming, and a series of clamping devices engaging said cover plate, and the edge of the hatch-way inside the hold, and acting when tightened up, to draw the cover plate down tightly on the coaming and form atight joint between the said parts.

The invention consists also in the details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a hatch-way and adjacent portions of the deck, showing a covering applied thereto in, accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line a-a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detail. Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional elevation through one end of the hatch-way and covering, showing a modified form of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings: A represents the hold of a vessel provided with a hatch-way B having the usual coaming-G projecting above the deck surface.

E represents a cover plate, preferably of metal, which is adapted to be seated on the upper edge of the coaming to cover the hatch opening, and which is provided on its inner face near its edge, with a gasket or packing adapted to contact with the edge of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3%,1913.

Serial No. 517,950.

the coaming to form a tight joint between the same and the cover plate.

FF, eto., represent a series of clamping devices for holding the cover plate in place, said clamping devices comprising each a plate adapted to rest in a horizontal position with the outer end against the edge of the hatch-way inside the hold, a prop f extending vertically between the inner end of the plate f and under face of the cover plate and abutting against said parts, and a long clamping bolt f extending vertically through the plate 7 and through the cover plate between the prop and side of the hatch-way,

the lower end of the bolt being provided with a head bearing against the under side of the plate f, and the upper end having a tightening nut applied thereto above the cover plate. These clamping devices are arranged at intervals around the hatch opening, so that by screwing up the nuts on the upper ends of the bolts, the cover plate may be caused to bind firmly and tightly on the coaming edge, thereby forming a tight airproof seal between the parts.

The several members of the clamping de vices are separable from each other to permit the parts to be assembled in applying the cover plate, and to be disassembled to remove the plate, the latter being usually provided with an air-lock as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 to permit workmen to enter the hold under pressure, and through which look access may be gained to the interior to adjust the parts of the clamping devices in applying the cover plate before the air is turned on.

As shown in Fig. 3 I prefer to form the props f of sheet metal with a body portion 1, side strengthening flanges 2, and end flanges 3, the latter adapted to bear firmly against the upper face of the plate 7 and lower face of the cover plate, these end flanges being slotted to straddle the clamping bolt. Instead of this specific form of the props they may be constructed as wooden blocks as shown in Fig. 4.

As a result of the construction described, the cover plate is given support by the props at intervals throughout its extent, and at points inward of the line of contact of it with the coaming edge, with the result that the edge of the plate will be stiffened and caused to bear flatly and evenly against the coaming edge, and be prevented from sagging.

In the accompanying drawings while I have shown an embodiment of my invention which I prefer to adopt and which in practice has been found to answer to an admirable degree the results to be attained, I desire to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In combination with a hold having a hatchway provided with a coaming, a coverplate seated near its edges against the edge of the coaming, and a series of separate and independent clamping devices for holding the cover-plate on the coaming, said clamping devices being arranged at intervals around the entire margin of the cover-plate inside the hatchway and being engaged respectively with the cover-plate at intervals therearound adjacent its edges, and being engaged at intervals with the marginal edges of the hatchway, the disposition of the said clamping devices being such as to leave substantially the entire surface of the coverplate and the hatchway, within their margins, free and unobstructed.

2. In combination with a hold having a hatch-way provided with a coaming, a cover-plate seated against the coaming, means for supporting the cover plate at points inward of the coaming, and means for applying a clamping pressure to the cover plate between said supporting points and the coaming.

3. In combination with a hold having a hatch-way with the usual coaming, a cover plate applied to the coaming, a series of horizontal plates engaged at their outer ends against the edge of the hatch-way, upright props extending between said plates and the cover plate, and clamping bolts extending through the said horizontal plates and through the cover plate at points between the props and sides of the hatch-way.

4. A fastening means for securing a coverplate to the coaming surrounding the hatchway of a vessel, said fastening means comprising plates adapted to be engaged at their outer ends against one edge of the coaming, upright props adapted to bear against said plates and the cover-plate, and clamping bolts adapted to extend through the plates and through the cover-plate at points be tween the props and the sides of the hatchway.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WALLACE WOTHERSPOON.

\Vitnesses MINNIE T. LEAVITT, FREDERICK J. FRANCIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington. D. G. t 

